By now, we have all seen the video of the Salt Lake City Police Detective assaulting and handcuffing a nurse at a Salt Lake City Hospital. First, let me say that the nurse was doing her job; Protecting the patient! Nurses and other healthcare providers are assaulted on the job daily around the nation. It is time to put a stop to this behavior. No person should ever have to go to work expecting that they will be assaulted in one manner or another, yet, healthcare workers do so every day. Healthcare workers are routinely verbally and sometimes, physically assaulted while performing their duties.

New Mexico, like many states have laws on the books that make assaulting healthcare workers in the performance of their duties, a felony. It is time that those tasked with ensuring a safe workplace and law enforcement take the responsibility that is theirs’ to enforce the law; not sweep the incidents aside.

District1199NM will be requesting Hospital Policies from each of our represented entities so we can work to protect our members from being victims of assault while on the job.

District1199NM commends Nurse Wubbel’s for doing her duty and protecting her patient! That’s what nurses do.